#144 Antarctic Research Ship Sōya

Building the 1:700 Foresight model of the Antarctic Research Ship Sōya 宗谷 (PL107)

Build

Notes

Sōya 宗谷 (PL107) is a Japanese icebreaker that serves as a museum ship in Tokyo after a long and storied service spanning some of the 20th century’s historic events. It is named for Sōya sub-prefecture in Hokkaido.

In November 1939, the Imperial Japanese Navy requisitioned Chiryo Maru for national service. In February 1940, she was renamed Sōya.
She was assigned duties as an auxiliary ammunition supply and survey vessel
She survived the Second World War, albeit with multiple close calls
After the war, she was assigned duties with the nation’s repatriation fleet
In 1949, Sōya was transferred to the Maritime Safety Agency, the precursor to the Japan Coast Guard. Her duties included supplying remote lighthouses.
In 1950, the ship received a comprehensive refit in preparation for service as Japan’s first dedicated Antarctic research ship.
Between 1956 and 1962, Sōya undertook missions to the Antarctic (1st to the 6th).
Sōya was fully decommissioned in 1978.
In 1979, Sōya was moored alongside at the Museum of Maritime Science, Tokyo, and remains open to the public as a museum ship

See IJN SOYA: Tabular Record of Movement for more details, especially of wartime service.

The Sōya was the first in a line of icebreakers for Antarctic expeditions:

Japanese icebreaker Fuji (AGB-5001). Served 1965 - 1984. Now a museum ship in Nagoya.
Japanese icebreaker Shirase (AGB-5002). Served 1982 - 2008. Under remodeling into observation and exhibition facility.
Japanese icebreaker Shirase (AGB-5003). Commissioned 2009, Japan’s fourth icebreaker for Antarctic expeditions. She inherited her name from her predecessor.

I got to visit Sōya in 2024 - highly recommended if you are ever visiting Tokyo.

soya-museum

A detailed series on Sōya by Ship Science Museum 船の科学館:

The Kit

Antarctic Research Ship Soya 3rd-6th Corps Foresight No. SMP-006 1:700 was tooled in 2003 and depicts the ship as used between the 3rd and 6th expeditions.

I added the kit to my stash in 2022, purchased for ¥2570 from Yodobashi Shinjuku.

box-cover

Plamo Samurai has done a fantastic video building the 1:350 SOYA 宗谷 kit from Hasegawa:

Paint Scheme

Feature	Color	Recommended	Paint Used
superstructure	Flat White	C62	H11
hull, aircraft	Gloss Orange	C59	H14
deck	Gloss Tan	C44	H27
flight deck	Gloss Bright Green	C66	H26
deck fittings	Semi Gloss Medium Seagray BS381C 637	C335	H335
	Semi Gloss Duck Egg Green	C26	H74
funnel	Gloss Bright Blue	C65	H15
tail rotor, wings	Gloss Red	C3	H3
	Flat Light Grey	C324	H324
	Semi Gloss Wood Brown	C43	H37
	Semi Gloss Hull Red	C29	H17
	Flat Black	C33	H12
	Metallic Silver	C8	H8
helicopter	Semi Gloss Navy Blue	C14	(H15) H54
	Gloss Yellow	C4	H4